Safety stopper

ABSTRACT

Safety stopper having a recess of the general shape of a glove finger so that the user may insert his finger therein and an outer wall adapted to be introduced into the top portion of the container to be closed and provided with at least one element adapted to cooperate with a corresponding element provided on the inner wall of said top portion of said container in order to lock the stopper within said portion, said locking elements being so arranged as to ensure that the stopper is released as a result of action exerted within the recessed portion of said stopper.

United States'Patent [72] lnventor [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,8l3,651 11/1957 Schlumbohm................

FOREIGN PATENTS 380,564 9/1964 Switzerland..................

Primary ExaminerGeorge T. Hall Attomey-Marmaduke A. Hobbs [22] FiledJune 17, 1969 [45] Patented May 11, 1971 [32] Priority June 19, 1968[33] France ABSTRACT: Safety stopper having a recess of the generalshape of a glove finger so that the user may insert his finger [54]SAFETY STOPPFR therein and an outer wall adapted to be introduced intothe 4 Chums 5 Drawmg top portion of the container to be closed andprovided with at [52] US. least one element adapted to cooperate witha-corresponding element provided on the inner wall of said top portionof said 215/47, 215/49 Int. A61j 1/00, container in order to lock thestopper within said portion, said B65d 55/02, B65d 39/00 lockingelements being so arranged as to ensure that the [50] Field stopper isreleased as a result of action exerted within the recessed portion ofsaid stopper.

Patente d M5, 11, 1971 FIG; 2

I INVENTOR.

MAURICE STEINER BY ATTORNEY SAFETY STOPPER The closure of containers andbottles such as medicine bottles by means of a device which is proofagainst easy opening by very young children, for example, is a problemfor which a number of different solutions have been found.

The devices which are designed for this purpose and which may consist ofone, two or even a larger number of components usually entail the needto lock the stopper onto the exterior of the bottle or container. Thisdesign does not wholly guard against the possibility of opening by achild since repeated fumbling with the stopper can result in actuationof the locking system.

Consideration also has to be given to the fact that, from an industrialstandpoint and particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, there is aconstant trend towards the replacement of glass packaging by rigidaluminum tubing. As a consequence, the conditions imposed by machiningof rigidaluminum tubes have to be taken into account.

Thus, thin tubes permit only small external projections with roundededges which constitute somewhat unreliable locking profiles. In fact,the locking system of a plastic stopper can be forced fairly readily asa result of a rotational effort without necessarily requiring previousknowledge of the release operation required.

The present invention, which is applicable without restriction tothin-walled metal tubes as well as to'containers or vessels made of anymaterial, provides for a recessed stopper which has the general shape ofa glove finger so that the user may insert his finger therein and isprovided on the outer wall to be introduced into the top portion of thecontainer with at least one element adapted to cooperate with acorresponding element provided on the inner wall of said top portion ofsaid container in order to lock the stopper within said portion, saidlocking elements being so arranged as to ensure that the stopper isreleased as a result of action exerted within the recessed portion ofsaid stopper.

In a particular embodiment the stopper is asymmetrical and comprises alocking lug adapted to cooperate with an internal circular projection ofthe inner wall of the container, the releasing action being produced bya radial elfort exerted within the interior of the stopper which isaccordingly endowed with a sufiicient degree of elasticity,leak-tightness being ensured by applying an annular portion of thestopper against the top edge of the top opening of said container.

In a second embodiment, the stopper is symmetrical and comprises atleast two locking lugs adapted to cooperate with a circular projectionof the internal wall of the container, the releasing action beingproduced by axial pressure exerted on the base of the stopper recesswhich is also endowed with elasticity.

In a third embodiment, the stopper which can be formed of any materialand even nonelastic material is provided with an .extemal screw threadadapted to cooperate with a screw thread of the internal portion of thecontainer, leak-tightness being ensured by means of a frustoconicalportion located at the top of the stopper and intended after screwingthe stopper in position to be applied in contact with a correspondingfrustoconical portion located at the top of said container, there beingno further portion of said stopper which projects from said containerafter screwing in position and the releasing operation being carried outas a result of action produced by the users finger within the interiorof the stopper recess which is accordingly provided with longitudinalgrooves.

Without thereby implying any limitation, four examples of constructionof a device in accordance with the invention are shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a first form of construction;

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of a second form of construction;

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view of a third form of construc tion;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the stopper of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a fourth form of construction.

In the example of FIG. 1, the stopper 1 is of asymmetrical shape andcomprises a central recess 2 inwhich the users finger can be insertedand is provided on theskirt 3 with a lug 4 having a width of a fewmillimeters. The stopper 1 which is formed of flexible plastic material,for example, is capable of penetrating with slight friction into asmooth-walled metal tube 5 in which is formed a circular groove 6. Theface of the skirt 3 which is remote from the lug 4 has a rounded shapeso as to leave a free space between said skirt and the groove 6. Thestopper 1 is provided at the top with a flange 7 which is intended to beapplied in leaktight manner against the top edge 8 of the tube 5. Theprofiles of the groove 6 and of the lug 4 which cooperates with saidgroove are such as to permit easy positioning of the stopper 1 as aresult of pressure exerted at the top of this latter and prevent itremoval. 1

Opening of the stopper is carried out by gripping the stopper 1 betweenthe thumb and forefinger, for example, and by applying a tractive efforton the flange 7 while the forefinger 9 which is applied against thatportion of the skirt which is remote from the lug 4 pulls this latterbackwards and releases the stopper.

In the example which is illustrated in FIG. 2, the stopper 1 issymmetrical with respect to an axial plane and comprises two wide lugs10, 10' in diametrically opposite relation and the base 11 of thestopper is reduced in thickness along a transverse diameter by virtue ofa groove 12. The stopper 1 is opened by gripping this latter in the samemanner as in the previous example, pressure being applied by theforefinger against the base 11. The base is thus deformed by virtue ofthe groove 12, whereupon the two lugs 10, 10' are moved downwards andthe stopper is released.

In the exemplified embodiment which is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, thestopper I which may be formed of rigid material has a frustoconicalshape and is provided with a screw thread I3. The tube 5 is providedwith a internal screw thread I4. The stopper I is hollowed out axiallyas in the previous example and its recess 2 is provided with grooves 15.When the stopper is screwed by engaging the external screw thread 13within the internal screw thread I4, the top face 16 of said stopper isbrought level with the top edge 8 of the tube 5 and leak-tightness isensured by virtue of the fact that the top frustoconical portion 17 ofthe stopper is applied in contact with the corresponding frustoconicalportion of the tube.

Opening or closure are carried out by introducing the thumb 18 into thegrooved recess 2 and by either screwing or unscrewing the stopper.

Since no part of the stopper projects beyond the tube after the stopperhas been screwed in position, the unscrewing operation which requiresthe introduction of a finger within the recess 2 is not easy andrequires a sufficient size of finger, which makes this operationphysiologically impracticable for a small child, for example.

The example of FIG. 5 is concerned with a particular application of theinvention to aluminum tubes of very small diameter which are widelyemployed for the purpose of packaging toxic drugs such as those whichare presented in the form of sugar-coated tablets. The diameter of tubesof this type is usually equalto that of the tablets.

Since the user's finger cannot penetrate into the stopper recess in thisparticular application, provision is accordingly made for a push studwhich is preferably secured to the stopper in an undetachable manner sothat the two parts form a single unit from the point of view to bothmoulding and assembly.

The stopper 21 is of a type which is similar to that of FIG. 2 but thegroove 6 of this latter is replaced in this case by an annularprojection 23 in order to conform to the internal diameter of the tube.

Thestopper 21 is provided with two symmetrical lug 22, 22 which serve tocarry out the locking operation by cooperating with the projectingportion 23 which forms a groove within the interior of the tube. Ahollow projecting portion 24 is joined to the lugs 22, 22. By squeezingthis projecting portion, the lugs are withdrawn and the stopper isreleased.

A pushbutton which is intended to produce a squeezing action on theprojecting portion 24 is joined to the stopper 2! by means of a strip26; the two parts 24 and 25 are moulded in one piece.

In order to remove the stopper 2!, the user need only place thepushbutton 25 in position on the projecting portion 24, then grip thestopper 21 which is provided with ribbed sides between-his thumb andsecond finger while applying pressure on the pushbutton with hisforefinger. The user then withdraws the complete stopper unit towardshim while maintaining his forefinger in the same relative position withrespect to the two other fingers.

I claim:

1. A safety stopper having a recess of the general shape of a glovefinger so that the user may insert his finger therein and an outer walladapted to be introduced into the top portion of the container to beclosed and provided with at least one element adapted to cooperate witha corresponding element provided on the inner wall of said top portionof said container in order to lock the stopper within said portion saidlocking elements being so arranged as to ensure that the stopper isreleased as a result of action exerted within the recessed portion ofsaid stopper.

2. A safety stopper as in claim 1 of an asymmetric shape and comprisinga locking lug adapted to cooperate with an internal circular projectionof the inner wall of the container, the releasing action being producedby a radial effort exerted within the interior of the stopper which isaccordingly endowed with a sufficient degree of elasticity,leak-tightness being ensured by applying an annular portion of thestopper against the top edge of the top opening of said container.

3. A safety stopper as in claim 1, of a symmetrical shape and comprisingat least two locking lugs adapted to cooperate with a circularprojection of the internal wall of the container, the releasing actionbeing produced by axial pressure exerted on the base of the stopperrecess which is also endowed with elasticity.

4. A safety stopper as in claim 1 provided with an external screw threadadapted to cooperate with a screw thread of the internal portion of thecontainer, leak-tightness being ensured by means of a frustoconicalportion located at the top of the stopper and intended after screwingthe stopper in position to be applied in contact with a correspondingfrustoconical portion located at the top of said container, there beingno further portion of said stopper which projects from said containerafter screwing in position and the releasing operation being carried outas a result of action produced by the user's finger within the interiorof the stopper recess which is accordingly provided with longitudinalgrooves.

1. A safety stopper having a recess of the general shape of a glovefinger so that the user may insert his finger therein and an outer walladapted to be introduced into the top portion of the container to beclosed and provided with at least one element adapted to cooperate witha corresponding element provided on the inner wall of said top portionof said container in order to lock the stopper within said portion saidlocking elements being so arranged as to ensure that the stopper isreleased as a result of action exerted within the recessed portion ofsaid stopper.
 2. A safety stopper as in claim 1 of an asymmetric shapeand comprising a locking lug adapted to cooperate with an internalcircular projection of the inner wall of the container, the releasingaction being produced by a radial effort exerted within the interior ofthe stopper which is accordingly endowed with a sufficient degree ofelasticity, leak-tightness being ensured by applying an annular portionof the stopper against the top edge of the top opening of saidcontainer.
 3. A safety stopper as in claim 1, of a symmetrical shape andcomprising at least two locking lugs adapted to cooperate with acircular projection of the internal wall of the container, the releasingaction being produced by axial pressure exerted on the base of thestopper recess which is also endowed with elasticity.
 4. A safetystopper as in claim 1 provided with an external screw thread adapted tocooperate with a screw thread of the internal portion of the container,leak-tightness being ensured by means of a frustoconical portion locatedat the top of the stopper and intended after screwing the stopper inposition to be applied in contact with a corresponding frustoconicalportion located at the top of said container, there being no furtherportion of said stopper which projects from said container afterscrewing in position and the releasing operation being carried out as aresult of action produced by the user''S finger within the interior ofthe stopper recess which is accordingly provided with longitudinalgrooves.